VAUXHALL Viva Brabham HB

If BMC could do it with Cooper and Ford with Lotus, then why shouldn’t Vauxhall do it with Brabham? That was the thinking behind 1967’s Brabham HB Viva, developed with world racing champion Jack Brabham. The hotted-up 1159cc engine had twin Stromberg carburettors, reworked exhaust manifolds and an uprated camshaft, combining to give 69bhp. The interior trim was different as well, with bodywork embellished by black stripes running from the bonnet and around the front wings to the doors. Nice! It was in production for just a year before being replaced by the Viva 1600.